The present invention relates to devices for performing a laryngoscopy.
A laryngoscopy is a medical procedure used to view and examine the interior of the larynx (or voice box), including the glottis and vocal cords. A laryngoscopy is often used to identify tumors, structural damage to the glottis or vocal cords, or other abnormalities.
In a direct laryngoscopy, a laryngoscope is inserted into the mouth of a patient and then manipulated to allow a physician or other medical professional a direct line of sight to view the glottis and vocal cords.
In an indirect laryngoscopy, the laryngoscope carries a fiber-optic or digital camera of some form, so that a physician can view an image of the glottis and vocal cords. In many cases, due to the health condition of the patient, indirect laryngoscopies are often the best option and/or are medically necessary. For instance, indirect laryngoscopies are particularly helpful in the growing geriatric population, many with inflexible cervical spines. Indirect laryngoscopies are also useful for pregnant women, trauma victims, and obese patients.
With respect to the construction of a laryngoscope, a laryngoscope is commonly comprised of a handle and a blade. The handle is the portion of the laryngoscope that extends out of the mouth and is manipulated by a physician or other medical professional. The blade is inserted into the airway and is used to lift the epiglottis and/or position the lens of the camera to view the glottis and vocal cords.
In certain medical situations, it may be necessary to perform a tracheal intubation (or intubation) on a patient in which an endotracheal tube is inserted into the trachea to maintain an open airway. A laryngoscopy is commonly performed to assist in such intubation. For instance, in emergency situations, such as care performed in an ambulance or medical helicopter, the airway of a patient may be partially filled with blood or other secretions. Indeed, since the throat is not visualized until the laryngoscope is placed, fluids such as blood, vomit, mucus, and saliva may be pooled and blocking the view of the target vocal cords. Even when the view is initially clear, secretions may accumulate at any time, often quite unexpectedly. Thus, the physician or other medical professional (e.g., paramedic or flight nurse) may need to provide suction before being able to successfully visualize the target vocal cords for intubation. Manipulation of the endotracheal tube requires the use of the right hand of the physician or other medical professional during the intubation, while the left hand is operating the laryngoscope. In order to provide suction, the right hand must switch between manipulating the endotracheal tube and a separate suction catheter, often causing delays in completing the intubation. Furthermore, the lens of the camera at the distal end of the fiber-optic or video-aided laryngoscope may become covered with blood or other secretions, rendering the technology ineffective. Thus, there remains a need for a laryngoscope that addresses some of the deficiencies of prior art technologies.